The series of tragedies never seem to end.
Nice is in shambles, Dallas is in mourning, and Baton Rouge is in disbelief.
This past week, our world was hit with a stream of terrors, but sadly enough, it is not as if we haven’t witnessed this all before.
I look around my surroundings and fear for my own safety; I, however, feel as if I am not the only one.
This no longer is an issue on guns or terrorist oppression; this is not about race or religion, though certainly their background is a factor to a certain extent, but more prominently, this is a war on animosity.
In the land of the free and home of the brave, our police officers are being fired at, scoffed towards, and mocked due to their “incompetence” in completing their duties. Have we forgotten all that they have done for us? Have we yet to realize that without them, we would be unable to receive help for robberies, assault, or, really, any kind of crime?
Truthfully, I am unable to wrap my head around all that’s been going on in the world, and quite frankly, I think everyone of us are a bit shaken up. While there is no doubt in my mind that there are these “bad cops,” why on earth does that give anyone the motivation to go around and shoot ones that have done no such harm to the community? They did not deserve to be killed; they sacrifice their lives each and every day to help citizens and that is the thanks they receive?
The sad reality is that, with this label placed on cops for being “brutal beasts,” who will want to stand up to become one? In fact, the United States is facing a shortage of law enforcement officers, for both financial and personal influences.
Believe me, I am not aiming to be insensitive towards those who have lost their lives to the fatal shootings of police officers, since for some, they truly did not deserve it. However, for anyone to place a label on ALL police force, claiming they are “prejudice towards African-Americans” specifically is a broad assumption. Yes, I completely understand that throughout history, African-Americans have been highlighted as the ones who have had the most trouble with law enforcement, and yes, what they faced decades ago was truly awful. However, where I stand in the midst of all this is the fact that no matter the pigment, a life is a life.
In the words of Jane Elliot, “there is only one race on this earth and that is the human race,” and sadly, we have been “taught to hate” due to the pre-dispositions of certain ethnicities that have accumulated for years on end.
I believe in equality, I believe in fair treatment, I believe that racism is the underlying cause of some of these crimes, but I also follow with Elliot as she says that it is our time now to stop the ignorance in speaking out for superiority. It is disheartening to comprehend the vastness of diversity and how it has continually torn families and friends apart. It's time we stop looking at everyone by the color of their skin and using it as a reason to rally; It's time we say enough IS enough, but stand peacefully with the guardians of our cities.
